Pygmy — Pyg my, n.; pl. {Pygmies}. [L. pygmaeus, Gr. ?, fr. ? the fist, a measure of length, the distance from the elbow to the knuckles, about 131 inches. Cf. {Pugnacious}, {Fist}.] [Written also {pigmy}.] 1. (Class. Myth.) One of a fabulous race of… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
pygmy — late 14c., Pigmei, member of a fabulous race of dwarfs, described by Homer and Herodotus and said to inhabit Egypt or Ethiopia and India, from L. Pygmaei (sing. Pygmaeus), from Gk. Pygmaios, originally plural of an adj. meaning dwarfish, lit. of… … Etymology dictionary
pygmy — *dwarf, midget, manikin, homunculus, runt … New Dictionary of Synonyms
pygmy — is derived from a Greek word pygmē meaning ‘the length of the forearm’ and largely for this reason the spelling with y is preferable to the form pigmy … Modern English usage
pygmy — (also pigmy) ► NOUN (pl. pygmies) 1) a member of certain peoples of very short stature in equatorial Africa. 2) chiefly derogatory a very small person or thing. 3) a person who is deficient in a particular respect: intellectual pygmies. ►… … English terms dictionary
Pygmy — [pig′mē] n. pl. Pygmies [ME pigmey < L pygmaeus < Gr pygmaios, of the length of the pygmē, forearm and fist, also fist: see PUGNACIOUS] 1. any of several groups of small African or Asian peoples described in ancient history and legend 2. a… … English World dictionary
Pygmy — pygmoid, adj. pygmyish, adj. pygmyism, n. /pig mee/, n., pl. Pygmies, adj. n. 1. Anthropol. a. a member of a small statured people native to equatorial Africa. b. a Negrito of southeastern Asia, or of the Andaman or Philippine islands. 2. (l.c.)… … Universalium
pygmy — 1. noun a) (often capitalized, usually in the plural: Pygmies) A member of one of various Ancient Equatorial African tribal peoples, notable for their very short stature The Bantu immigration drove many Pygmy tribes into the darkest jungle, while … Wiktionary
pygmy — pyg|my1 , pigmy [ˈpıgmi] n plural pygmies [Date: 1300 1400; : Latin; Origin: pygmaeus very small in height , from Greek, from pygme fist (as a unit of length) ] 1.) also Pygmy someone … Dictionary of contemporary English
pygmy — [[t]pɪ̱gmi[/t]] pygmies also pigmy 1) ADJ: ADJ n Pygmy means belonging to a species of animal which is the smallest of a group of related species. Reaching a maximum height of 56cm the pygmy goat is essentially a pet. 2) N COUNT A pygmy is a… … English dictionary
